The Long Game
by Knows-it-all
Summary: A day before their wedding, Caroline has mixed feelings about whether she was doing the right thing, but a push from Stefan was all she needed, who realised her heart has always been with Klaus.


**The Long Game.**

Why was she not happy? She should be. After all, she was marrying the man she loved. _Love._ Did she love him? Truly love him? She didn't know. Caroline couldn't possibly know if she loved Stefan Salvatore or not. Either way, she was marrying him tomorrow. Marrying. _Till death do us part_. She dragged her hands through her hair. Why couldn't her heart stop beating fast? Why couldn't she stop worrying and just be happy like everyone else? They were happy. They wanted her to marry Stefan. They loved Stefan. He was a good friend, a good vampire. He wouldn't hurt anyone. He was such a good person.

 _Is he good for you?_

She shook her head, staring down at her engagement ring. _Happy. Be happy._ She was marrying the man who loved her, and was loved by everyone. And when she looked up, there he was, smiling his most innocent smile. _He loves you, Caroline. Why can't you love him back? What's stopping you?_ Stefan was walking over to her, the man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with. _Till death do us part_. But as a vampire, one who would live forever with this man. Spend eternity with her. Could she let him tie her down? Spending eternity with Stefan Salvatore. Could she really? He was everything she had ever wanted in a man, in a fiance and a husband, why was she feeling as if he wasn't right for her?

Caroline sat looking at her hands and trying to look happy, unbothered to see him. It was a tough thing to do, trying to hide what she was feeling when he could read her like an open book.

Almost as if he could read her mind, Stefan said abruptly, "He's leaving in a few hours, isn't he?"

 _He._ She couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes, inhaling a sharp breath at his words. She didn't need him to remind her. She already knew. Caroline was doing so good at ignoring the fact that he was leaving Mystic Falls, forever. She was ignoring the fact that she would probably never see him again. She didn't think he would want to see her again. She wouldn't want to see her after what she did. But he was leaving, and that thought terrified her more than anything else.

"Yes he is," she replied, trying to sound unbothered, but she was failing—she failed when she tripped on her words. She failed when her hands started to shake, and when her eyes blurred with unshed tears.

"You said your goodbyes?" _You said your goodbyes?_ Why was he asking that? He didn't sound like he was jealous. Stefan sounded really curious and there was a hint to sadness to it. She nodded, looking away from him. "And you're content to see him go?"

 _And you're content to see him go?_ What sort of question was that? How was she to answer that? Perhaps a half-truth would do. "Well, he lives in New Orleans, Stefan. He can't exactly stay here."

"He might have, if you had asked. Or he might have made you go with him." The words, so quietly spoken, had such truthfulness to it that she turned her head to stare at him. Why would he say things like this? His smile was wry as he met her gaze, as if he understood what she had been looking for all her life, what she was thinking. "You do love him, don't you? I didn't want to see it or believe it, but it's been there since the moment he had saved us on our graduation. I can't help wondering if it was him all along. You did quite a good job trying to hide your feelings for him."

"Don't," she said on a quickly drawn breath. "Please. Just—don't." Not now. Not today. Not ever. Not while she was in this state.

"Why, Caroline? Because I might say something I'll regret? Or you might?"

"We're getting married tomorrow, Stefan," she reminded him, shaking her head as she wiped a tear that slid down her eyes. "I chose you. You shouldn't be talking about things like this."

"I don't want you to marry me because you have to. I want you to marry me because you love me, and you want to spend eternity with me." There it was, that word again. _Eternity._ "I don't want things to be hard for you, Caroline. I'm sure I could give you everything you need, but I'm not sure I could give you all the happiness you could need."

"You will, Stefan," she said miserably. "We will be happy." _You will be happy_. It registered to her that she had already made up her mind about not being happy.

He gave a small shrug. "You could try and look happy, but we know you won't be. It's alright, Caroline."

"Stefan.." _I'm sorry._ She shook her head, at a loss as she wondered what it was he wanted her to say.

"Don't worry, everyone would understand. If they don't, I'll be here for you. As a friend, like I had always been," he said abruptly. "If you hurry, you can still make it. I know he's still around. I know for a fact because Matt drove past their mansion and his car was still around."

She returned her gaze to his face. "What? How—what do you mean? I can't do that!" She was panicking. One day ago he had still wanted to marry her, and now he wanted her to go to another man?

"Can't you, for me? He's waiting for you."

"What did he tell you? I can't—I don't understand," she broke off, looking at him with wide eyes and with each beating of her heart, she hoped for something. For the truth.

"He hasn't said a thing, we haven't spoken about it at all. I know he came here to try and stop the wedding, to change your mind about me." Stefan chuckled when her eyes widened more. "Come on, Caroline. We both know his lame excuse about trying to retrieve something from his mansion was a cover-up. The man is dying inside. He needs you."

"But the wedding—I told you I wanted to marry you."

"You did, and I thank you for giving me a chance. His smile was weary. "You still have time just to change your mind, though you have to make it up once and for all. Stay here and you'll marry me tomorrow. Go, and he would show you the world."

"Yes, but what if—"

"He'll do right by you; I know that much because well, it's him. He's loved you ever since he gazed his eyes on you. You know he wants you to choose him. He had hope that you would. He came all the way to Mystic Falls, and I'm pretty sure things are going bad in New Orleans, but he came anyway. For you."

"He didn't say anything when he came a little while ago." She rose to her feet even as she voiced the protest. Her voice held an edge of doubt amounting to near-panic. Yet the light in her eyes glowed like the sun.

He stood also. "I figured that out, which is why I'm here. Make up your mind, Caroline. Go to him. I don't want you to regret it. Don't worry about me or anyone else."

Distress invaded her features. "Stefan, how can I leave you to face this alone? What will everyone say?"

He shook his head with a wry twist of his mouth. "It isn't as if they haven't guessed. You have been awfully quiet and sad ever since he came to town."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Still she hesitated, searching his face. What she saw there gave her courage, for a slow smile bloomed across her features. "Thank you. You just did something no one could. I don't think I could ever stop apologising. I've always loved you, Stefan, and I always will. But you're right, it's him that I truly loved. I never realised it until now. I'm so so sorry." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, feeling her heart ripping out for this poor innocent man in front of her.

"I love you too, Caroline," he whispered, wrapping his own arms around her waist before pulling away to kiss her forehead. "Thank you and please, keep the ring. It truly has been a privileged to be loved by you, Caroline Forbes. No go get him, Forbes."

She dashed upstairs to her room to get the most important things she needed. What else did she need? Nothing. She needed nothing so long as she had her love. She ran downstairs, gazing around her childhood home before picking up a picture of her and her mum before locking the house. Bonnie was waiting for her at the front porch. Stefan must have told her; she looked really sad. Yet she was smiling bravely. Caroline set her things down, and went for a quick fierce hug.

"You call me everyday, you hear me?" Bonnie said, the words thick. "And visit me regularly if you can."

"God, I don't want to leave you, Bonnie," Caroline said, tears rolling down her eyes. "I'm such a bad friend for trying to leave you alone. Elena is gone, and now I'm leaving too."

Bonnie pulled away with a smile and wiped the tears in her eyes. "You're stupid sometimes, Caroline Forbes. I'm not alone. I have Enzo, Matt, Stefan and Damon. I'm not exactly alone."

"Yeah, but you can't exactly call them for sleepover, or gossip or talk about girls stuff." Caroline chuckled, her eyes red from crying.

"We can always FaceTime when you're in need of gossip, Caroline."

She pulled Bonnie into one last hug. "I love you, Bonnie Bennett."

"I love you too."

Stefan was still there also, waiting behind Bonnie, coming forward as they drew back. Caroline turned to him. "Here," he said, taking her hand and thrusting something into it. It was a wedding ring, and her heart ached. "I don't know what to do with it. I bought it in your name, and I'll feel better if you take it."

"But I have already taken your engagement ring, Stefan."

"And you will take this one too." She loved him then as she never had before. And because of it, she would indeed keep his ring. It would be a reminder of him, and she would definitely keep the rings safe with her. Abruptly, she stepped close, flung her arms around his neck, and kissed him full on the mouth. He raised his hands, but did not quite touch her before he dropped them again. She moved back, her lips curving in a tremulous smile. Then she picked up her things and was gone, leaving him staring, sadly at her.

She drove faster than she had ever done. She was dreading to go to the mansion and have him gone. She didn't think she could take it. Caroline hoped he was there. She hoped he would still wait for a few minutes. Stepping out of the car, she saw him about to get in his. Her heart beat as she started to run. Her lungs were bursting, her heart shuddering in her chest.

"Wait! Stop!"

Tears rose to blur her vision. She ran harder. _He can't leave me._ He turned around just in time before throwing her arms around him, and he staggered with the force before he dragged her roughly into his hard arms. Holding her so tight she could feel the hard thud of his heart against her ribs, he pressed his cheek to her temple.

"Love…" He whispered.

She tilted her chin as she answered, "I was scared. I thought you left me. I'm sorry I got here too late."

"I don't care how late you are. You are here. With me." He smiled down at her with aching tenderness. "You won't regret your decision. But I won't promise you that it won't be hard, that sometimes you wouldn't feel like leaving me. I can't be Stefan Salvatore for you."

"I don't want a Stefan Salvatore," she interrupted. "I want you. _Klaus Mikaelson_. I want you with all of your flaws, mistakes and your regrets. It's you I chose, you Klaus Mikaelson _. My Klaus._ And I'm in it for the long game." Then smiling, she put her arms around his neck, holding on as if she meant never to let go while she lifted her mouth for his kiss.

"I love you," she whispered.

" _And I, you,"_ he added.


End file.
